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Energy
* Planks about energy from Mark Rauterkus * Libertarian Party of PA statement on Energy Policy from December 2005 in response to Gov. Rendell * Planks about energy from US Congress Tim Murphy and Melissa Hart * Engery-plank-Bartlett from New Zealand Background * Local companies, such as the Westinghouse (and its spin offs), are worldwide leaders in the development of nuclear technology and the building of nuclear power plants. * Fifty-five percent of Pennsylvania's energy comes from coal. Unfortunately, many plants are turning away from coal because they do not have the proper pollution controls. * In the last 30 years, the United States has not built a new nuclear facility. * In the past decades, Europeans and China have been taking advantage of American technology to develop safe nuclear energy facilities, while the U.S. has remained idle. * As more plants have moved away from coal, and turned to natural gas, the decreased supply has caused the price of natural gas to triple in the last decade. This leads to increased costs of home heating. * Tim Murphy wrote, the increase cost of energy has cost, 90,000 jobs in the chemical industry and contributed to three million manufacturing job losses. Pittsburgh is what it is because of energy, and what it will be because of energy. : "The world was literally built by Pittsburgh energy," said Congressman Murphy, who serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. "Andrew Carnegie didn't manufacture steel here because we had iron. It is because we had coal, and the resources to transport it. Then came the railroads and names like Westinghouse, who developed airbrakes for trains, electrical systems, and the first commercial nuclear power plant. Names like Mellon, who financed Pittsburgh industry, and companies like Alcoa and Gulf Oil who depend on oil followed. Pittsburgh built this nation and helped fight the Civil War and two World Wars. : Pittsburgh has been a leader in nuclear, chemical and environmental engineering, robotics, and medical technology. Federal Energy Policy Act is a bill in 2005-06: ** Invests in clean coal technology, providing a more Environmental-friendly energy for coal. ** Promotes the construction of new nuclear reactors within the US. Congressmen Murphy claims this could create nearly 3,000 jobs. ** Alleviates the rising price of natural gas by encouraging use of clean coal. ** Reduces the bureaucratic red involved in building more natural gas facilities. Details US automakers talk energy and foreign competition with congress The top executives at G-M, Ford and DaimlerChrysler are hoping to persuade Congress to promote favorable energy and health care policies, and help them stave off competition from foreign cars. Auto execs arrived on Capital Hill in vehicles decorated with images of corn stalks to underscore their commitment to alternative fuels, like ethanol. :Auto industry officials say the automakers want ethanol to be more widely available. And they want help in dealing with climbing employee health care costs, trade challenges and the demand for more alternative fuel vehicles. Links * Electrical Power * Biobutanal * Peak oil * Bio-diesel in Pittsburgh * Biofuel Backlash article from September 2007